Praise for Abby Brooks
“Abby Brooks is a wizard with Beyond Us—entertaining and pure enjoyment!”
Adriana Locke—USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author
“A masterful blend of joy and angst.
Praise for Abby Brooks
“As a voracious reader it is not unusual for me to read 5-7 books per week. What is unusual is for me to be thinking about the writing and characters long after I've finished the book. With just the perfect amount of angst and remarkable character development, Abby Brooks has crafted a masterpiece…”
Praise for BEYOND WORDS
"Once again Abby Brooks creates a world filled with beautifully written characters that you cannot help but fall in love with.”
Praise for BEYOND LOVE
"A lovely story of growing beyond your past, taking control of your life, and allowing yourself to be loved for the person you are."
Melanie Moreland—New York Times Bestselling Author, in praise of Wounded
“Abby Brooks writes books that draw readers right into the story. When you read about her characters, you want them to be your friends.”
Praise for Abby Brooks
Instant Bliss
The Moore Family Book 3
Abby Brooks
Copyright © 2020 by Abby Brooks
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Epilogue
Enemies-to-Bliss Sneak Peek
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Also by Abby Brooks
Connect With Abby Brooks
Chapter One
Willow
Willow snapped the ends off a green bean and tossed it into a strainer, smiling across a granite countertop at her best friend Juliet. The women hadn’t seen each other in months, due to Julz packing up and leaving New York City in a hurry.
“Have I told you how much I missed this?” Willie trailed a finger around the stem of her mostly empty wine glass, cheeks aching from the perma-grin that’d been plastered in place since her plane landed.
“You say that like we made a habit of destringing green beans before I moved to Bliss.” Juliet cocked her head, humor gleaming in her pretty eyes. “You’re so married to your job, I count myself lucky I saw you at all.”
The joke landed flat, even though Willow let it slide and laughed anyway. No one, apparently not even her closest friend, understood why she sacrificed so much for her career.
“Of all people, you know I have to be married to my job. And you also know what I mean. I miss this…” She gestured between them. “The way we are. I’m going crazy now that seven hundred miles of the east coast separates us.”
“Me too, Willie. Me, too.” Juliet leaned into her friend, shoulder to shoulder, head to head. “Have I mentioned how glad I am you could make it for the wedding? Especially considering your abusive-husband-slash-place-of-employment?”
With wide eyes, Willow slapped Juliet in the arm. “My job is not abusive. It’s a dream come true and I’ll do anything to keep it.”
“I know, babe. I really do. I also really love teasing you about it, as I’m sure you’re aware.”
“Believe me. I’m aware.”
Through the window over her friend’s shoulder, Willow watched the ocean lap the beach. Clouds dotted a brilliant sky and sunlight streamed into Juliet’s monstrous kitchen, dancing across the tile floor.
Bliss, South Carolina was the complete opposite of what Willow was accustomed to back in Manhattan, what with the wide-open spaces and the fresh air and the fact that everyone knew everything about everybody because they’d all known each other forever…
Basically, all the small town stuff she’d always heard about.
On one hand, she understood why Juliet loved it there, but on the other, she questioned if she’d lose her mind to the slow pace and the persistent possibility of becoming the talk of the town. Give her the anonymity and energy of the city any day.
Juliet’s fiancé—Ian Moore—sauntered into the kitchen and slid his arms around his soon-to-be-wife’s waist, then pulled her close and kissed his way across her jawline to her lips. He pressed his forehead to hers, taking her hands and stroking her knuckles with his thumbs.
Willow considered looking away.
She even considered leaving the room.
The moment seemed incredibly intimate and precious. So completely designed for just the two of them that she felt like an intruder—though her stuff was half-unpacked in the guestroom upstairs. Even the memory of Juliet calling her the guest of honor when she arrived didn’t diminish the feeling.
Lulu, a little Yorkshire terrier with a big personality, propped her front paws up on Ian’s leg and he absently scratched behind her ears. “You girls have fun. I’ll be back before my family gets here.”
“Promise you won’t take long?” Juliet raised a questioning brow, her eyes trained on his.
“Juliet Lane.” He cupped her cheeks and laughed lightly. “You’ll be my wife in a week. Are you telling me you can’t handle being alone with my family?”
She slid her hands into Ian’s back pockets and leaned her cheek against his chest. “No, silly. I just can’t stand being separated from you.”
Willow fought the urge to roll her eyes by studying the bright November day on the other side of the window. At home in New York, she’d be wearing extra socks and bundling up in blankets. In Bliss, the temperature hovered around seventy degrees and had Willow considering wearing shorts, much to the chagrin of the natives who considered it chilly.
Ian swept Juliet into a kiss, his fingers twining in her hair and then…
…finally…
…he managed to say his goodbyes.
It reminded Willow of a man leaving his wife for war, not a simple trip to the store.
Never in her life had someone loved her like that and she doubted anyone ever would. She simply didn’t have the time to give a relationship. Her friend was right
